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Your vet can
dispose of the body for you. The body will be
stored in a veterinary deep freeze (for hygiene
purposes) and collected for incineration by a firm
licensed to incinerate animal remains or 'medical
waste'. Some vets can provide individual
cremation; it is best to ask about this in advance
if possible so that you know what options are
available to you.
You can arrange for
a pet cemetery or pet crematorium to collect the
body from your vet. The body will be labeled with
your name and the cat's name, and stored in the
veterinary deep freeze until collected. If the
euthanasia was expected, you may be able to take
the body to the pet cemetery or crematorium
yourself. Burial, cremation
or incineration are the normal means of disposing
of your cat's mortal remains. Some owners arrange
to donate their cat's remains to a nearby
veterinary school in the same way that people
donate their bodies to medical science.
Burial
Burial is the
commonest option in Britain where many people have
a garden or an understanding friend with a garden
(I have my apartment-dwelling friend's cats buried
in my garden). Make sure local bylaws don't
prohibit this. If you bury him in the garden
(yard), the grave should be at least three feet
(1m) deep to discourage scavengers. Wrap him in a
shroud of cloth and lay him at the bottom of the
hole. Fill up the hole with soil, bearing in mind
that it will settle over the next few weeks. It is
a sensible precaution to lay a paving slab on top
to deter scavengers from digging up the body. Once
it has been buried, you are not permitted to
exhume an animal's body.
Bury the cat as
soon as possible after death; it will begin to
putrefy quickly. If this is not possible, ask the
vet to store the cat in the clinic's freezer. If
you do not collect your cat's body by the due
date, it will be sent for mass cremation. If you
bury your cat in your garden, you may wish to
erect a headstone, plant flowers or a bush to mark
the grave.
If you do not have a back garden
or local bylaws prohibit pet burial, look for a
pet cemetery (listed in the Yellow Pages, pet
magazines or most vets have contact information).
Most have a chapel of rest and facilities for a
non-denomination ceremony (usually Christian, but
you should state if you prefer a non-religious
ceremony). Ceremonies and ceremonial interment
must be scheduled in advance. Some pet cemeteries
will collect your cat's body from the vet or from
your own home.
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